CHL to NCAA Recruiting Megathread

[cinnamoroll]

After all results March 28th... Every series has completed 1 game, one QMJHL series has had 2.

OHL playoffs had every higher seed win their playoff game 1 except for Saginaw, Erie Otters with the (sort of) upset. Tough to outscore your problems when you get down 8-0 before figuring out how to score.

QMJHL game 1s went higher seed except for Drummondville losing to Halifax and Blainsville-Boisbriand losing to Sherbrooke. That series already had their game 2 after starting their series thursday, which Blainsville-Boisbriand won, so it is now tied 1-1.

WHL had two game 1s go to the lower seed, Edmonton over Prince Albert and most shockingly, Seattle over regular season champions Everett.

Some notable NCAA commit performances I caught:
G Johnny Hicks (Tennessee State) had his first career WHL shutout in Victoria's first playoff win since 2019, making 22 saves for a 3-0 score. F Brandon Lisowsky (CC) had 2 goals.
In Portland's 6-7 OT loss to PG, Zakreski (UND), Buttazzoni (UML), Chyzowski (DU), and Thompson (Miami) all had 2 point games.
Calgary won 4-2, Tulk (Wisconsin) with a goal. G Hauser (Wisconsin) was still out of the lineup, but Calgary has the depth to manage. Hopefully he will be back soon.

Barrie 4-2 win over Niagara, Owen Van Steensel (Clarkson) w 1g1a.
Windsor 7-2 over the Soo, Noah Morneau (BGSU) with 2g.
Erie won 8-5, Pano Fimis (Notre Dame) with 2g.
Brantford 6-3 win over North Bay, NB's Wellenreiter (Maine) 1g1a.
Kingston 4-1, Guindon (UVM) with 2g1a.

I am falling asleep.. will check out qmjhl scores tomorrow.

 

[cinnamoroll]

ok, QMJHL results time:

Rimouski win 6-2, Mathieu (Northeastern) 2 goals, Fauchon (Providence) 3a.
Halifax beating Drummondville appears to have something to do with an injury to their great goaltender Riley Mercer in the 3rd period. All 3 Moosehead goals were scored in the 3rd once the backup went in. Drummondville player hit a player on a breakaway from behind and he slid into the goalie, Mercer pinned between the player and the post. Tough sight. Also Halifax's Bent (Providence) was knocked out earlier in the game.

Fairly typical playoff junior hockey drama. London's game v Owen Sound got pretty rowdy too. And London decided this year's version of the playoff mullet was buzz cuts.

Baie-Comeau wins 3-1, Schrott (Michigan Tech) 2 goals.

I'm sure I've missed a few, but those are a few from the first games of the CHL playoffs.

 

[Sparkee]

ok, QMJHL results time:

Rimouski win 6-2, Mathieu (Northeastern) 2 goals, Fauchon (Providence) 3a.
Halifax beating Drummondville appears to have something to do with an injury to their great goaltender Riley Mercer in the 3rd period. All 3 Moosehead goals were scored in the 3rd once the backup went in. Drummondville player hit a player on a breakaway from behind and he slid into the goalie, Mercer pinned between the player and the post. Tough sight. Also Halifax's Bent (Providence) was knocked out earlier in the game.

Fairly typical playoff junior hockey drama. London's game v Owen Sound got pretty rowdy too. And London decided this year's version of the playoff mullet was buzz cuts.

Baie-Comeau wins 3-1, Schrott (Michigan Tech) 2 goals.

I'm sure I've missed a few, but those are a few from the first games of the CHL playoffs.

Any playoff games that can be viewed for free?

 

[Ralph Baer]

4- Baie-Comeau Drakkar vs 5- Cape Breton Eagles
FRI 2025-03-28 19:00 Cape Breton @ Baie-Comeau
Baie-Comeau:
C Skogen Schrott, Michigan Tech, 05
Cape Breton:
D Andrew Brown, St Lawrence, 05
C Jacob Newcombe, UNH, OA

OHL and QMJHL playoffs can be found on CHL TV, which requires a subscription. The league websites sometimes have links to the radio feed as well. WHL playoffs are free on Victory+.

RPI recruit Ryan Dwyer, 07 who played most of the year for Canadian Prep School Stanstead College (57-36-38-74), is playing as an AP for Baie-Comeau. I am surprised that they can bring up AP's for the playoffs.

 

[cinnamoroll]

RPI recruit Ryan Dwyer, 07 who played most of the year for Canadian Prep School Stanstead College (57-36-38-74), is playing as an AP for Baie-Comeau. I am surprised that they can bring up AP's for the playoffs.

Looks like Baie-Comeau had just some pretty significant injuries right before the playoffs, which lead to the Dwyer call up on March 19th. F Justin Poirier is out for 4 weeks and D Alexis Bernier is done for the season. I'm guessing they had enough defensemen on their roster to compensate but while Poirier is out they needed another forward. He got into the last 2 games of the regular season, so instead of being a call up for the playoffs he's probably considered just part of the roster when the season had ended. If they're still in the playoffs in 3 weeks, he'll likely be replaced with Poirier.

 

[cinnamoroll]

Any playoff games that can be viewed for free?

for the QMJHL, I don't believe so. Just WHL on Victory+

 

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

@cinnamoroll - seeing as how many of these players have committed to CCHA programs, I'm curious to get your thoughts on how much more talented and competitive these players are likely to make the conference overall, at least in the short term?

 

[cinnamoroll]

@cinnamoroll - seeing as how many of these players have committed to CCHA programs, I'm curious to get your thoughts on how much more talented and competitive these players are likely to make the conference overall, at least in the short term?

I’d predict that to be a good boost, depending on the players and how quickly they are able to acclimate. WHL players might have an easier time adjusting since the W is more physical than the others. The drop off in schedule intensity will likely help all players with more opportunities to practice during the season and overall recovery. They’re used to playing multiple games in a row like weekend series (sometimes 3 games in 3 nights) but a much larger scale. Some of them could have a tougher time adjusting to the increase in defensive ability, which is where the extra practice time will make a big difference. A lot of the CCHA recruits are overagers, so they could be able to ease into the older and bigger competition typical to the league quicker. On the other hand, scoring will be a lot harder since most everyone is older and bigger.

If you trust your program’s recruiting ability, they should be able to adapt well. Major junior players do not last very long if they cannot be adaptable or are a drain on a locker room. I think the competitive spirit that CHL teams instill in alumni will help plenty along with the skill. They won’t be strangers to intense (and occasionally nasty) rivalries and playing big games in hostile barns. I’m sure they’re aware of how amazing an opportunity this is for them, being the first set of players with this option, and that will be a powerful motivator.

In the end, it will be a “wait and see” situation, but I’m optimistic in the benefit to CCHA and AHA programs, at least in the short term. Also, I wouldn’t write off a player if they don’t make an immediate impact as a freshman for some of the reasons I outlined above.

 

[cinnamoroll]

When I mentioned how some teams are known for being better run than others, one of the notorious "others" is the #7 Niagara IceDogs, who in typical fashion gave a perfect example of why they are considered that yesterday.

Every other off-ice scandal you hear about in the OHL is usually Niagara-based, and it is usually about the front office. In 2022, the GM and the head coach (also mnority owners) were suspended and fined for inappropriate comments about a female colleague. Next year, a third party investigation into bullying and harassment got their captain and goaltender banned by the CHL, the owner/GM (different guy) suspended 2 seasons, fined, and stripped of their 2024 1st round draft pick. Then this month, the OHL commissioner opened another third party investigation into a cultural review of the organization after complaints of inappropriate behavior involving team staff.

Which brings us to March 31st, 2025, T-6 from game 2 of their 1st round series against Barrie- IceDogs reporter Brandon Caputo notices something weird with the lineup and goes digging:

Reached out to the #OHL & was informed that the Niagara #IceDogs are under league & team-imposed disciplinary measures as a result of a recent off-ice incident & those sanctions require all players in the lineup sit for one period in this series vs Barrie, including goaltenders.

This meant their poor rookie goalie got his first career OHL start in the playoffs after getting 15 minutes of ice time, and for two periods they only ran 2 lines and 3 defensemen. Junior hockey is pretty crazy, though, because *somehow* they managed to tie this game in the third despite coming in down 5-1.

Blew it late despite plenty of goaltending heroics. Lose game 2 7-5. In a universe where they weren't being punished, they could've tied this series up.

I'm not saying you don't touch players coming from troubled organizations with a 10-foot pole (after all, Mikhail Yegorov is doing spectacularly after his mid-season extraction mission from the depths of the USHL), but be wary of how such an environment could affect a players development. Niagara has 1 commit on their roster- D Noah Van Vliet to Sacred Heart. Wonder if some colleges are steering away from the team or attempting to keep their recruits from going to their org. At least the OHL commissioner has been taking these actions, but something just seems consistently rotten since COVID. Or even before then- in 2019 they were caught giving secret side deals to players to give them more money than allowed in their agreements. Ironically got busted because a player complained about not receiving those payments.

I figured I would bring this up eventually, and they provided the right opportunity. It stinks around Niagara, which sucks for the kids trying to make their mark in the sport. Hopefully something is able to give soon.

 

[cinnamoroll]

For once we get the entire incident report... Apparently last week, the Niagara IceDogs team went to see a movie and were kicked out for yelling and throwing food. A reporter heard the story and confirmed the link between the movie theatre incident and punishment with someone from OHL communications.

Dumb thing to do, especially for the timing, and valid enough punishment. When people say "boys will be boys", this is what I actually expect them to be referring to, not some of the more abhorrent behaviors that phrase gets tossed around for. The punishment is also warranted since they have higher standards to be held to as CHL players and those guidelines are laid out in their Standard Player Agreement. Guessing it went to the league level likely because there was another investigation going on anyways and it occurred in a public space.

tl;dr: teams should not have teenage boy nuisance incidents in public right before the playoffs.